1. Introduction
Objective:
Learn Nepali greetings for both formal and informal situations, focusing on how to greet, ask about well-being, and respond appropriately.
Overview:
This chapter introduces common greetings used in daily Nepali conversations. You will practice pronunciation, explore vocabulary, and learn to construct dialogues using formal and casual greetings. Additionally, exercises and role-play activities will help solidify your skills in greeting people confidently.
2. Vocabulary
2.1 Common Formal Greetings
Use these greetings in polite or formal settings, such as when meeting elders, teachers, or strangers.
| Nepali Greeting | Transliteration | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| नमस्ते | Namaste | Hello / Greetings | नमस्ते, तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ? (Namaste, tapāī̃lāi kasto chha?) |
Hello, how are you? |
| नमस्कार | Namaskār | Respectful Hello | नमस्कार, गुरुजी। (Namaskār, guruji.) |
Respectful hello, teacher. |
| प्रणाम | Praṇām | Salutations | प्रणाम, बा। (Praṇām, bā.) |
Salutations, father. |
| सुप्रभात | Suprabhāt | Good Morning | सुप्रभात, आज मौसम राम्रो छ। (Suprabhāt, āja mausam ramro chha.) |
Good morning, the weather is nice today. |
| शुभ दिउँसो | Shubh Diũso | Good Afternoon | शुभ दिउँसो, तपाईँलाई भेटेर खुशी लाग्यो। (Shubh Diũso, tapāī̃lāi bheṭera khushī lāgyo.) |
Good afternoon, nice to meet you. |
| शुभ सन्ध्या | Shubh Sandhyā | Good Evening | शुभ सन्ध्या, तपाईँको दिन कस्तो रह्यो? (Shubh Sandhyā, tapāī̃ko din kasto rahyo?) |
Good evening, how was your day? |
| शुभ रात्रि | Shubh Rātri | Good Night | शुभ रात्रि, सुत्नुहोला। (Shubh Rātri, sutnuholā.) |
Good night, please sleep well. |
| स्वागतम् | Swāgatam | Welcome | स्वागतम्, हाम्रो घरमा। (Swāgatam, hāmro gharmā.) |
Welcome to our home. |
Tip: Use “नमस्ते” (Namaste) or “नमस्कार” (Namaskār) as default polite greetings. Slightly bowing or bringing your palms together adds cultural authenticity.
2.2 Friendly and Casual Greetings
These greetings are more relaxed and informal, perfect for conversations with friends or close acquaintances.
| Nepali Greeting | Transliteration | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| के छ? | Ke chha? | How are you? (informal) | के छ, मित्र? (Ke chha, mitra?) |
How are you, friend? |
| तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ? | Tapāī̃lāi kasto chha? | How are you? (polite) | तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ, दाजु? (Tapāī̃lāi kasto chha, dāju?) |
How are you, elder brother? |
| के छ खबर? | Ke chha khabar? | What’s the news? / What’s up? | के छ खबर, साथी? (Ke chha khabar, sāthī?) |
What’s up, friend? |
| सब ठीक छ? | Sab ṭhīk chha? | Everything good? | सब ठीक छ? (Sab ṭhīk chha?) |
Everything okay? |
| धन्यवाद | Dhanyabād | Thank you | तपाईंको सहयोगको लागि धन्यवाद। (Tapāī̃ko sahayogko lāgi dhanyabād.) |
Thank you for your help. |
| फेरि भेटौंला | Feri bheṭaũlā | See you again | नमस्कार, फेरि भेटौंला। (Namaskār, feri bheṭaũlā.) |
Namaskar, see you again. |
Tip: For a casual “How are you?” among friends, say “के छ?” or “के छ खबर?”
3. Listening Activity
Audio Practice:
Listen to audio clips of the following greetings:
- नमस्ते
- तपाईँलाई कस्तो छ?
- सुप्रभात, आज मौसम राम्रो छ।
Exercise:
- Match the spoken phrase to its corresponding text in Nepali.
- Listen to a dialogue where two friends greet each other. Fill in the blanks in the provided script.
4. Dialogues
3.1 Formal Greeting: A polite conversation between two acquaintances.
| Speaker | Nepali | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | सुप्रभात, सर। | Suprabhāt, sar. | Good morning, sir. |
| B | सुप्रभात! | Suprabhāt! | Good morning! |
| A | तपाईँलाई सन्चै छ? | Tapāī̃lāi sanchai chha? | It was good. Are you well? |
| B | म ठिक छु, धन्यवाद। | Ma ṭhik chhu, dhanyabād. | I’m fine, thank you. |
| A | फेरि भेटौंला। | Feri bheṭaũlā. | See you again. |
| B | ठीक छ, नमस्कार। | Ṭhik chha, namaskār. | Alright, farewell. |
3.2 Casual Goodbye: A conversation between friends.
| Speaker | Nepali | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | के छ, साथी? | Ke chha, sāthī? | How are you, friend? |
| B | सब ठीक छ। तिमीलाई कस्तो छ? | Sab ṭhīk chha. Timīlāi kasto chha? | All good. How about you? |
| A | म पनि ठिकै छु। | Ma panī ṭhikai chhu. | I’m also fine. |
| B | ठीक छ। फेरि भेटौंला, साथी! | Ṭhik chha. Feri bheṭaũlā, sāthī! | Alright. See you again, friend! |
| A | नमस्ते। फेरि भेटौंला। | Namaste. Feri bheṭaũlā. | See you again. |
5. Grammar Tips
Politeness in Greetings
- Use नमस्कार (Namaskār) or नमस्ते (Namaste) for formal interactions.
- Informal greetings like के छ? (Ke chha?) are more suitable among friends or peers.
Expressing Well-Being
- Use कस्तो छ? (Kasto chha?) to ask, “How are you?”
- Responses include:
- म ठिक छु। (Ma ṭhik chhu.) – I am fine.
- मलाई सन्चै छ। (Malāī sanchai chha.) – I am well.
- मलाई राम्रो छ। (Malāī ramro chha.) – I am good.
6. Reading Activity
Passage:
नमस्ते। मेरो नाम सुदीप हो। सुप्रभात, आज मौसम राम्रो छ।मलाई सन्चै छ।तपाईँलाई कस्तो छ? नमस्ते। फेरि भेटौंला।
Comprehension Questions:
- What is the speaker’s name?
- How is the speaker feeling?
- What greeting does the speaker use at the beginning?
- What time-of-day greeting is mentioned in the passage?
- What does the speaker say about today’s weather?
- What question does the speaker ask the listener?
- How does the speaker say goodbye or express a desire to meet again?
7. Writing Activity
Sentence Construction
Fill in the blanks using the correct words:
- ________, तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ? (Clue: Use a formal greeting.)
- के छ, मित्र? – म ठिक छु, ________. (Clue: Complete with “thank you” in Nepali.)
- ________, हाम्रो घरमा। (Clue: Use the word for “Welcome” in Nepali.)
Creative Writing
Write a short dialogue (4-6 lines) using at least two greetings and one response about well-being.
8. Speaking Activity
Role-Play
- Pair up with a partner. Practice initiating a formal greeting and exchanging pleasantries.
- Example:
- A: नमस्कार! तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ?
- B: मलाई ठिक छ। धन्यवाद।
Pronunciation Practice
Repeat vocabulary words and example sentences after listening to the audio clips.
9. Additional Exercises
Use these exercises to practice the new vocabulary and conversation skills.
9.1 Matching
Match the Nepali greetings with their English meanings:
| Nepali Word | English Meaning |
|---|---|
| नमस्ते | Hello |
| सब ठीक छ? | Everything okay? |
| फेरि भेटौंला | See you again |
| सुप्रभात | Good morning |
9.2 Translation
- Translate “See you again” into Nepali.
- How do you say “Everything good?” in Nepali?
9.3 Fill in the Blanks
- ________, तपाईंलाई कस्तो छ?
(________, tapāī̃lāi kasto chha?)Clue: Use a formal greeting (e.g., Namaste, Namaskār, etc.)
- के छ, मित्र? – म ठिक छु, ________
(Ke chha, mitra? – Ma ṭhik chhu, ________.)Clue: Complete with “thank you” in Nepali.
- ________, हाम्रो घरमा।
(________, hāmro gharmā.)Clue: Use the word for “Welcome” in Nepali.
9.4 Match the Greeting with Its Meaning
Match the Nepali greeting in Column A with the English meaning in Column B.
| Column A (Greeting) | Column B (Meaning) |
|---|---|
| a) के छ खबर? | 1) Everything good? |
| b) सब ठीक छ? | 2) Welcome |
| c) स्वागतम् | 3) What’s up? |
| d) फेरि भेटौंला | 4) See you again |
9.5 Dialogue Completion
Create a short 4-line dialogue. Use any of the greetings above to start and end the conversation, and include at least one question about someone’s well-being. For example:
- Line 1 (Speaker A): (Greeting)
- Line 2 (Speaker B): (Response)
- Line 3 (Speaker A): (Question)
- Line 4 (Speaker B): (Farewell)
Write it in Nepali and provide transliteration.
9.6 Match the Greetings
9.7 Fill in the Blanks
10. Review and Practice
Key Vocabulary:
- नमस्ते, नमस्कार, के छ?
Q&A Session:
- Discuss any questions about when to use formal versus informal greetings.
Practice Dialogue:
Rehearse the sample dialogues provided until you feel confident.
11. Conclusion
In this chapter, you learned:
- Common formal and casual greetings.
- How to greet and ask about well-being in Nepali.
- How to incorporate greetings into simple dialogues.
Next Steps:
In the next chapter, you will learn how to introduce yourself and inquire about others. Continue practicing these greetings in daily conversations.